Bill > SB569

This bill establishes a grant program through the Oregon Business Development Department to support nonprofit and community-based organizations that help minority-owned businesses obtain certification under ORS 200.055. The program will provide funding to organizations with a proven track record of supporting businesses owned by minority individuals, with grant recipients required to offer direct assistance like mentoring, education, and resources to help businesses become certified. The department will develop specific criteria for qualifying organizations, including evaluating their proposed plans for assisting businesses. Recipients will be required to track and report on their efforts, including the number of businesses contacted, assisted, and successfully certified. The bill mandates that the department submit a comprehensive report to the Legislative Assembly by September 1, 2026, detailing grant recipients, grant amounts, certification outcomes, and the program's impact on economic resilience in minority business communities. To fund this initiative, the bill appropriates $4,000,000 from the General Fund for the 2025-2027 biennium. The goal is to increase certification rates for minority-owned businesses and support their economic opportunities in public contracting.

Budget and Finance, Business and Industry

https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2025R1/Measures/Overview/SB569